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DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of New Hampshire has received a $25,000 gift
from Chevron to support its environmental education program, Forest Watch.

Forest Watch uses a combination of traditional biology and space-based methods to
study human impacts on vegetation health, most notably white pine trees, in New
England. It monitors the impact of ground-level ozone or smog on white pine, and is
being used by K-12 teachers in more than 150 schools throughout the region.

"Environmental education of young people is the way we can protect our earth for the
future," says Chevron spokesperson Lucinda Jackson. "Forest Watch not only tells
young people about environmental impact, but actually shows it to them and lets them
learn hands-on. It is our hope that this active awareness will lead to all of us taking
better care of our planet now and in the generations to come."

The Forest Watch program, developed by Barry Rock, professor of natural resources
at the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space at UNH, has been funded
by the National Science Foundation and NASA's Space Grant program.

"Not only are the students learning about environmental issues and the impacts of
poor air quality on living systems such as white pine, they are also using space-age
technology and current environmental monitoring techniques to do so," says Rock.

According to Rock, Chevron was particularly interested in supporting Forest Watch
because of its focus on forest health monitoring using remote sensing, a tool that
helps scientists do a better job with "big picture" environmental management.

"With this tool we can get regional, detailed data to make people aware of the impact
on the environment, assess that impact, and then take the next steps to do something
about it," says Jackson. "Forest Watch is a wonderful example of putting this
concept into action."

Chevron is an international company providing energy and chemical products and
services throughout the world. Its core values include "a commitment to protecting
the safety and health of people and the environment."